Truist Point to Host Major League Rugby

Truist Point to host Major League Rugby
Anthem FC will play NOLA Gold on April 27

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Rugby, one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., will make its professional debut in the Triad on Saturday, April 27 when Charlotte-based Anthem RC and NOLA Gold meet at Truist Point. The 7:30 p.m. match will be televised on The Rugby Network.

Tickets for the match go on sale on Thursday, March 28 and can be purchased online at www.HighPointRockers.com and at the Truist Point Box Office. Early bird tickets are priced as low as $14.

“Truist Point has always been a multi-purpose stadium and bringing rugby to High Point shows the versatility of the facility,” said Pete Fisch, president of the High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation, the non-profit that operates Truist Point and the Rockers.  “Sports fans will have the opportunity to see rugby at the highest level in the United States and players that will be competing on the world stage.”

An expansion side of Major League Rugby, Anthem RC was launched this year as a comprehensive partnership between Major League Rugby, World Rugby and USA Rugby. The innovative partnership between the governing bodies for global and American rugby represents a significant investment and collaboration in the growth of the game in the United States. The team is predominantly made up of the most exciting young American talent available and will solidify MLR as the primary pathway for America’s best rugby players who have aspirations to play for their country.

MLR is focused on growth of rugby in the U.S. and driving a positive, innovative evolution for the game leading up to North America hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2031.

Anthem RC is in its first year as a member of Major League Rugby and coached by Alama Ieremia. Ieremia, 53, is a former New Zealand rugby union coach and former international player for Western Samoa and New Zealand. In international competition, he led Samoa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Major League Rugby, featuring 13 teams from Seattle to New England, is now in its seventh season and represents the highest rugby competition in North America. Founded in 2018, the league has grown from seven teams to 13 in 2024.

Anthem RC embraces the concept of rising stars throughout its brand, symbolic of the efforts of the new club to invest and grow American rugby. Inspired by the U.S. national anthem, it also features distinct connections to the Charlotte community by drawing from its rich military heritage and incorporating a recognizable color palette that draws from the smoky tones of the Blue Ridge Mountains.